An Axe to Grind — Flash Fiction Contest

The results are in...

First of all, thanks so much to everyone who took the time to stop by the Darling Axe and take a look. This was our first contest, launched in celebration of our new website. Michelle and I are both thrilled by the number of you who participated. I had hoped we might get as many as 50 entries, so I was definitely blown away when we hit the final tally of 107.

As we said, the prize pool increased for every entry beyond #40, so our once-modest first-place award of $200 grew to $535 CAD!

(Be sure to check out our next contest – the First Page Challenge. Rather than a short story or poem, we will be looking for the best first page of an unpublished manuscript. More details will be posted soon.)

***See below for links to the winning entries (1st and 2nd place)

–David Brown

Okay, enough preamble. Here's Michelle Barker's big announcement!

***

What an honour it was to judge the Darling Axe’s first-ever fiction contest. Thanks to everyone who entered and crafted such wonderful stories. Deciding on the top three was agonizing. But after much deliberation, the winner is . . .

This gem of a story features sharp dialogue, deftly drawn characters, and a subtle humour I found very appealing. The voice of the young narrator contrasts so well with that of her grandparents, and the unusual setting is an added bonus.

Another wonderful story with a strong voice and keenly observed detail. The author captures the difficult emotions of both jealousy and guilt, and delivers them to us with a humour tinged in regret. Beautiful writing.

Third place goes to The End of the Beginning, by Nancy Lendved

This evocative story of grief and longing is written with vivid sensory detail. A deceased husband is brought to life through scent and memory.